WINES OF THE WORLD I Week Seven Champagne & Sparkling Wines

WINES OF THE WORLD I

Week Seven

Champagne & Sparkling Wines

CHAMPAGNE & SPARKLING

Questions Did the French invent it?

Champagne and Sparkling? Is there a difference?

How do we get the bubbles?

Why is it so expensive? Or is it?

Can you really use a sabre to open a bottle?

CHAMPAGNE & SPARKLING

Questions Can I open it warm?

Do I evaluate it the same way as I do a wine?

What’s the best glass?

Why do I giggle and feel light headed after a few glasses?

How do I preserve the bubbles in an open bottle?

SPARKLING WINE METHODS

Traditional

Transfer

Tank

Carbonation

AC WINE REGIONSOF FRANCE

N

0 100 200 km

0 100 Miles

CHAMPAGNE

ALSACELOIRE VALLEY

BURGUNDY

JURA

SAVOIE

BORDEAUX

RHONE

PROVENCELANGUEDOC

ROUSSILLON

MEDITERRANEANSEA

ATLANTICOCEAN

©WSET®2003

Other AC Regions

46N

48N

50N50N

48N

46N

44N44N

42N42N

R. G

aron

ne

R. Dord

ogne

R. Tarn

R. CharenteR

. Allier R

. Lo

ire

R. R

hô

ne

R. Loire

R. Doubs

R. Saône

R. Seine

R. Seine

R. Marne

R. R

hin

e

R. M

ose

lle

CHAMPAGNE “King of Wines, Wine of Kings”

Northern Continental climate

Vintage variation

Chalky soils

Rarely single variety, but most often blends or cuvée

Hand-picked in small bins

Pressed quickly

Traditional Method perfected here – Dom Perignon

CHAMPAGNE Ageing requirements for all levels

House style – grape blend percentages and reserves, aging, sweetness; rare to see oak influence (before blending)

AOC is sparkling only

Grand Cru is the highest classification

Usually for special occasions like weddings, celebrations and New Year’s Eve

So versatile with food that you could easily use only sparkling wines for your entire meal

CHAMPAGNE Grapes – each one brings to the

cuvée: Chardonnay – acid, floral, citrus,

fine bubbles

Pinot Noir – body, length, backbone

Pinot Meunier – early ripening, fruity

Location and quality of vineyards is very important since most Houses don’t own a lot of vineyards important

CHAMPAGNE METHOD

Traditional Method – “best method”

1. First Fermentation – high acid, lower alcohol, release CO2

2. Blending/Assemblage – cuvee consistency year

3. Liqueur de Tirage – base wine, sugar, yeast nutrients and clarifying agent

4. Bottling – plastic cup and crown cap

5. Second Fermentation – bubbles captured!

CHAMPAGNE METHOD

Traditional Method – “best method”

6. Aging – autolysis

7. Riddling – by hand or gyropalette; clear glass may have inspired Veuve Clicquot

8. Disgorgement – when to remove?; frozen plug; wine level in bottle lowers

9. Dosage – sweetness levels vary by House

10. Dressing – few months later, cork, cage and foil are added

CHAMPAGNE DOSAGE

Doux – SweetestDemi-Sec – “Off-dry”Sec – “Dry”Extra Dry – Little drierBrut – Very DryExtra Brut – Bone dry

50+ g/l33-50g/l17-35g/l12-20g/l

15 g/l0-15g/l

SPARKLING WINE METHODS

Traditional – many steps, time, labor, space, etc.

Transfer – less costly and messy; riddling eliminated; quicker; filtered and rebottled; less yeasty; “fermented in the bottle”, not “this bottle”

Tank – Cuvee Close or Charmat Bulk; quicker and less costly; second fermentation in a tank; lose autolysis aromas and flavor, but good for fruity sparklers; bigger bubbles that dissipate

Carbonation – add quickly like a soda/pop

INTERNATIONAL SPARKLERS

Sparkling wines – cooler regions may have more success Crement and Mousseaux – France Cava – Spain Prosecco – Veneto, Italy; grape Asti – Piedmont, Italy; region Sekt – Germany California – wide variety in style and

price; may even have French ownership

Others – Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and more

SPARKLING WINE TERMS

Blanc de Blancs

Blanc de Noirs

Non-vintage

Vintage

Tête de Cuvée

Bottle sizes

NORTH SPAIN Other D.O. Regions

Santander

Leon

Madrid

Pamplona

Tarragona

Valencia

R. Duer

oR. Ebro

R. Tajo

A T L A N T I C O C E A N

MEDITERRANEANSEA

P O R T U G A L

F R A N C E

©WSET®2003

SOMONTANO

ANDORRA

COSTERS DEL SEGRE

PRIORATO

TARRAGONA

PENEDÈSBarcelona

MALLORCAVALENCIA

UTIEL-REQUENA

LA MANCHA

CARIÑENA

NAVARRARIOJARIBERA

DEL DUEROTORO

RUEDA

RIASBAIXAS

CAVA Spain, but Champagne

influence and cellars Traditional method by

law Local grapes + 4 pointed star on cork Not considered a longer-

term aging sparkler

SEKT Germany, but not tied to one region

The first to do sparkling?

Different methods can be used, but tend to emphasize fruit over autolysis

Grapes Riesling is star, but can use others

Can bring grapes from outside the country, but Deutscher Sekt uses only German-grown grapes

Difficult to find exported because they drink so much of it themselves

NORTH-WESTITALY

Turin

Milan

Pavia

Como

Bergamo

Brescia

Cremona

Parma

Genoa

Alba

Asti

Lago diComo

LagoMaggiore

Lagod’Iseo

R. Adda

R. Adda

R. Ticino

R. Po

R. Po

R. Tanaro

EMILIA-ROMAGNA

TOSCANA

LIGURIA

VALLE

D’AOSTA

Rivie

ra L

igure

di P

onente

CinqueTerreL I G U R I A N

S E A

SWITZERLAND

FRANCE

LOMBARDIA

PIEMONTE

GATTINARACarema

GAVIBAROLO

BARBARESCO

ASTI

VALTELLINA

Franciacorta

Oltrepó Pavese

©WSET®2003

ASTI City in

Piedmont/Piemonte region of Italy

Moscato – very aromatic Tank method, but

variationDOCG wine, but soft

bubbles, fruity and sweet fun!

OPENING AND PRESERVATION

Preparation Temperature

Cloth

Glasses – clean, polished and proper shape

Ice bucket – 50/50 of ice and water

OPENING AND PRESERVATION

Demonstrate Foil

Cloth

Wire cage

Angle bottle to about 45 degrees

Twist bottle not cork

Quiet pop

Hold at angle after opening until the gas dissipates

Serve!

SPARKLING EVALUATION

Appearance

Pale straw, yellow, gold or salmon

Clear

Bubbles – size Quantity – everywhere, streams,

mousse

Rate – slow and lazy or intense and rapid

Duration – may be there still even if not visible

SPARKLING EVALUATION

Nose

Swirl?

Fruit – apple, citrus

Autolysis – method, aging Yeasty

Spicy

Nutty

Caramelized

Aged – mushroom

Oxidized

SPARKLING EVALUATION

Taste

Mouth-feel – bubble (soft or harsh), acidity

Fruit – bruised apple, lemon, pear

Autolysis – method, aging

Yeasty – bread, biscuit, B vitamins

Spicy – nutmeg, ginger, anise

Nutty – popcorn, grains, hazelnut, almond

Caramelized – honey, smoky, chocolate

Aged – mushroom

Oxidized – sherry

Finish